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West Forks’ Berry wins pro boxing debut

SKOWHEGAN, Maine — Brandon “The Cannon” Berry of West Forks made a successful professional boxing debut Saturday night, defeating Billy Jones of South Berwick by a fourth-round technical knockout before more than 500 fight fans at Skowhegan Area High School.

It marked the first professional fight in Maine since 2005.

“We were extremely happy with the crowd,” said Ken “Skeet” Wyman, the owner of Wyman’s Boxing Club of Stockton Springs, which promoted the event. “Professional boxing is back in Maine.”

Wyman, Berry’s trainer, said his fighter picked up the pace in the second round and continued to press the attack as the bout continued against Jones, a veteran of 18 mixed martial arts contests who also was making his pro boxing debut.

“In the third round he really worked the jab and was landing combinations,” said Wyman. “The writing was on the wall, and the crowd really reacted to everything that was happening and Brandon fed off that.”

The fight was stopped at 2:09 of the fourth and final three-minute round.

“Brandon came out of this fight basically unscathed,” said Wyman. “Realistically I’d like to get him back in the ring in six to eight weeks.”

The Berry-Jones bout was preceded by three amateur contests.

Nico Clow of Claremont, N.H., scored a three-round, split-decision victory over Joey Sarina of Boston in their 152-pound bout.

Phil Kaiser of Belfast, battling his way back into action after a recent shoulder injury, also won by split decision, edging Michael Berrio of Boston in a 145-pound bout that was recognized as the outstanding fight of the evening.

Mike Matakowski of Lawrence. Mass., won the final amateur contest of the undercard, winning by technical knockout in the third round over Dalton McGovern of Skowhegan in their 152-pound clash.